From Iron Curtain to Green Belt: Restoring Ecological Networks in Southeast Bulgaria
Southeast Bulgaria, along the border with Greece and Turkey
Southeast Bulgaria’s former borderlands with Greece and Turkey have suffered from forest conversion, overgrazing, and climate-driven fires. A large-scale restoration project is underway to replace conifer plantations with native forests, revive water sources and grasslands, and strengthen ecological networks supporting threatened species.
The region along Bulgaria’s borders with Greece and Turkey is one of Europe’s biodiversity hotspots, home to 81 IUCN Red List species and critical breeding grounds for vultures, eagles, wolves, and jackals. However, decades of forest conversion, pasture destruction, and poor agricultural policies have fragmented habitats. Climate change has increased fire risks, while poaching and poisoning threaten top predators. Despite these pressures, low human density and historic restrictions on land use have preserved much of the area’s natural wealth. Political support for expanding protected areas offers a unique opportunity for ecological restoration.
- Supporting landscape connectivity throughout the 810,000 ha territory through restoration interventions.
- Restoration of over 3,180 ha of plantations into native woodland; creation of 30 ha of riverine forest; post-fire forest restoration.
- Research wildlife movement patterns as input for landscape restoration strategies.
- Using anti-poison dogs to find poison baits threathening vultures and terrestrial predators.
- Support extensive grassland management via new agri-environment schemes.
- Community engagement to promote sustainable nature-based businesses.
- Best-practice demonstrations for pasture and grassland management.
- Information not available.
By combining ecological restoration with sustainable community development, the project seeks to reduce fire risk and re-establish a functional ecological network across the 810,000 ha.territory. For environmental landscape restoration, the project applies silvicultural techniques for tree planting - specifically to replace conifer plantations with resilient native oak and riverine forests, and reforest fire-damaged land - and natural regeneration of pastures and water sources. Furthermore, contributing to the recovery of keystone species and natural food chains it additionally clears poison baits. For sustainable community development, the project works on awareness raising and the development of nature-based businesses.
Key stakeholders
- Endangered Landscapes & Seascapes Programme
- Bulgarian government
- Local communities and farmers
- The BSPB and SSFC
Financial metrics
Funding sources
- Information not available
Budget
- Information not available
Environmental
- Converting 3,180 ha of monoculture pine forest plantations back to a mixture of more fire-resilient native, deciduous oak species
- Creation of 30 ha of riverine forest.
- Reforestation of burnt areas.
- Supporting recovery of globally threatened species such as Imperial Eagle, Egyptian vulture and European Souslik
Social
- Support for local communities to develop nature-based business models.
- Demonstration of pasture management practices to farmers.
Economic
- Development of agri-environment schemes to sustain extensive grassland management.
- Information not available.
- Integrating local communities through sustainable business support ensures long-term project buy-in.
- Demonstrating traditional and extensive pasture management practices can align agriculture with biodiversity goals.
- Large-scale restoration requires both ecological interventions (reforestation, water source revival) and systemic measures (policy alignment, combating poaching, and reducing habitat fragmentation).
For further reading
- Project webpage
For Reference
- Endangered Landscapes & Seascapes Programme, Cambridge Conservation Initiative, 2025.
Information not available yet.
